Leading the Owls was Nancy Cole who pounded 15 kills, seven blocks (2s/5a) and hit a .433 for the contest.

UTEP ran away with a 3-1 run with a kill by Jacqueline Cason to open the match. Both teams battled for control and a service error by Daniela Arenas tied the set at 7-7. UTEP continued to fight back with a pair of kills by Herrera and Bridget Logan to give the Miners an 11-9 lead. Herrera continued to fire back extending the Miners lead to 15-12. But the Owls came back from the deficit with three consecutive points to tie the set 15-15. A block assists by Rice’s Laurie McNamara and Jillian Humphrey gave the Owls it’s first lead of the night at 18-17, forcing a UTEP timeout. The Miners weren’t able to come back from the deficit, as a kill by Cole would close out the set, 25-21.

The Owls jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the second frame. UTEP fought back to take the lead at 7-5 off a kill by Herrera. A service ace by Figueroa and a kill by Marie-Therese Joyce put the Miners ahead, 10-8. UTEP continued to charge with a chain of three kills giving the Miners a 15-11 advantage. Rice fought back with three consecutive points to tie the set at 16-16, forcing a UTEP timeout. Both teams went back and forward, until a kill by McNamara and a UTEP attack error sealed the set at 25-22.

Both teams struggled to take control of the third stanza but a Rice ball handling error, a service ace by Rachel Scott and a kill by Patterson gave the Miners a 6-4 lead. The Miners were unstoppable as three consecutive strikes by Jeane Horton, extended UTEP’s lead to 9-7. Figueroa fired away at the service line with back-to-back aces to give the Miners a 13-9 lead, forcing a Rice timeout. A service error by Arenas and a kill by Horton gave UTEP a 19-15 lead forcing another Owl timeout. Rice rallied back, with a pair of kills by McNamara and Cole knotting the set at 22-22. The Owl took the victory with a block assists by McNamara and Cole, closing the set at 25-22.

The Miners remain at home to welcome Houston on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 12 p.m.